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Stolen horses leave Sand Springs nurse heartbroken

Stolen horses leave Sand Springs nurse heartbroken
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TULSA COUNTY, Okla. — The summertime grazing land Jennifer Hastings' beloved 21-year-old Rainy and 9-year-old Hope usually reside in has been empty since May 20.

Hastings said they were taken during the overnight hours, with the land's fence cut open next to the intersection of 57th Street and South 105th West Avenue.

WATCH: Stolen horses leave Sand Springs nurse heartbroken

Stolen horses leave Sand Springs nurse heartbroken

"I would give anything to have them back," Hastings told 2 News Oklahoma.

Hastings, a nurse practitioner who has cherished being a horse owner for more than 17 years, said a couple unrecognized trucks with horse trailers were seen by nearby surveillance in the days prior to their disappearance, but Tulsa County Sheriff's Office hasn't been able to identify the vehicles.

"I mean, to a certain extent you feel violated," she said.

Hastings also filed a case with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture's investigative services unit, who she said found tire tracks that are being considered in the investigation.

Debi Metcalfe of the North Carolina-based NETPOSSE Stolen Horses International said Hastings has done everything right since the theft, include reporting to her organization.

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"She keeps trying to get (awareness of) the horses out there. When we put the horses in our system, I can't tell you how many different groups on Facebook alone this has been shared to from our post," Metcalfe told 2 News via Zoom.

Metcalfe started Stolen Horses International in the 1990s after she became a victim herself. The group now helps thousands of horse theft victims each year, including in Green Country.

"And a lot of horses look alike. We encourage people to put some type of physical brand on them," Metcalfe added. "I prefer a freeze brand and a microchip because there is no perfect ID by itself."

Hastings said she's also canvassed horse auctions around central and eastern Oklahoma, but a friend contacted the 2 News Problem Solvers in hopes of reaching even more attention to bring the special needs mare, Rainy - and Hope, back home.

"I don't care if we catch the person who did it. I'm not looking for punishment. I just want my horses back," Hastings said. "So I'll never give up hope, but it's just - every day you feel a little more desperate."


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